Wife Convinced Husband to Shoot Neighbor for Raping Her 'Telepathically'

A woman in Utah has pleaded guilty to attempted criminal solicitation and possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person after persuading her husband to shoot their neighbor by claiming she was the victim of "telepathic rape."

Meloney Selleneit was accused of illegally purchasing a gun for Michael Selleneit, a violent felon, and inciting him to shoot Tony Pierce twice in the back while Pierce was working in his yard.

Michael, 53, later told police Pierce, 41, had been telepathically raping his wife for years and was using crack cocaine to control her mind.

A judge found Michael competent to stand trial despite some hesitancy from mental health evaluators.

He pleaded guilty but mentally ill to attempted manslaughter and use of a firearm by a restricted person, and sentenced to two one-to-15 years prison terms to be served consecutively.

He is being held at the state hospital until such time as he is deemed sane enough to join the general prison population.

After being found competent herself, Meloney, 55, pleaded guilty but mentally ill to her charges last week.

She was then returned to the same state hospital, where she has been receiving treatment for the last year.